Giving up driving due to illness/medical reasons

[MattPym]

This probably should be in the 'Health matters' section so to the mods, move to there if needs.

Now to the point, I was diagnosed with epilepsy over the summer and so am not allowed to drive again unless I go a year seizure-free. Before being diagnosed I had a seizure the summer previous as well and so with the ways things have worked out, it has been a year and a half since I have driven a car properly, with at least a year to go still before I can get back behind the wheel on a road. As with 99% of the users here, i'm a massive petrolhead and so loved driving. I'm finding it very tough not being able to drive for pleasure anymore. Alot of my friends are big car people as well and it gets frustrating having to stand by while they enjoy the pleasures of driving and owning a car.

So I wanted to see are there many others out there/on here that have had to give up driving because of a medical reason or similar. If you have, how have you found it and how are you coping with it? Is it only a short-term break from driving, a permanent break, or like in my case, completely unknown as to when you will be allowed or able to go back to driving?

Look forward to hearing other peoples experiences

[The Black Flash]

Not personal experience, but a very good friend of mine had exactly your situation. He was put on medication, was siezure free for the year, then was back on the road and has been ever since. So in his case, just a break.
My sympathies though, not being able to drive sucks. You could always spend the year building a track toy with the money you've saved...

[U T]

Friend of mine got epilepsy when he was 31. Lived about 6 miles from his work so sold car and bought a nice racing bike. We laughed because he was about 19 stone and a smoker/drinker and a complete slob.

A year later and he's six stone lighter, with a hot new girlfriend. Got his licence back but hasn't bought a car, cycles everywhere. Best thing that ever happened to him, transformed his life for the better.

[julian64]

Being epileptic doesn't mean you can't drive.

The vast majority of epileptics drive.

You just need to be on the right medication, and not get fits during the daytime.

[U T]

julian64 said:

Being epileptic doesn't mean you can't drive.

The vast majority of epileptics drive.

You just need to be on the right medication, and not get fits during the daytime.

Being diagnosed with epilepsy means you can't drive for a year, to get the medication right so you go a year free without of fits.

[julian64]

U T said:

julian64 said:

Being epileptic doesn't mean you can't drive.

The vast majority of epileptics drive.

You just need to be on the right medication, and not get fits during the daytime.

Being diagnosed with epilepsy means you can't drive for a year, to get the medication right so you go a year free without of fits.

Not quite, a lot of epileptics have fits and still drive. You have to be free of daytime fits. Some epileptics can, and do, have night time fits and are still rated safe to drive by the DVLA.

I would suggest he speak to his GP or Consultant. Its not the end of the world, especially as employers now have an obligation to accomodate people who are suddenly diagnosed like this.